Surface treatment composition

ABSTRACT

A composition for the treatment of surfaces including leather, vinyl, painted surfaces, fiberglass, and rubber is provided. The surface treatment composition is particularly effective as an interior/exterior vehicle and facility surface dressing. The composition is also biodegradable, non-carcinogenic, non-flammable and environmentally benign. The qualities that make this composition superior to other surface treatments are its long lasting protection, shining effects, fabric breathability (where applicable) and quick drying after application. The surface treatment has an appearance similar to mineral oil silicone-based compositions but can last for years rather than days or weeks. Unlike mineral oil and silicone-based compositions, the surface treatment of the present disclosure won&#39;t rub off on clothing, make floors slippery, or fly/spin off the surface that has been treated. The surface treatment dries in minutes, rather than hours, or never, for compositions designed for similar purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to surface treatment composition that provides improved shine and protection, in addition to being environmentally safe and non-toxic.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Commercially available surface treatments incorporate chemicals that are detrimental to the environment. These chemicals include surfactants, solvents, boosters and chelators. Other common ingredients in cleaning compositions detrimental to the environment include phosphates, nitrilotriacetic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, nonylphenol ethoxylates, and heavy metals; some of which accumulate in ground water.

Toxic chemicals from cleaning compositions have been found in fresh water such as ponds, lakes, and streams in high levels. Aquatic organisms, including both plants and animals, are at risk from exposure to high levels of these chemicals in water systems. Further, humans exposed to these chemicals through water systems may suffer from health problems. Additionally, many cleaning compositions contain toxic or carcinogenic chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and hazardous air pollutants (HAPs), that can pollute the air. As a result, alternative cleaning compositions which do not contain these and other environmental and bio-hazardous chemicals are desired.

The use of automobile protective surface compositions are well known in the prior art and exemplified by products such as STP® and ARMOR ALL®. The aforementioned products are well known as providing a silicone-oil based spray-on protectant to provide gloss and a protectant film to rubber polymer, and other surfaces. U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,433 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,206,956, by Muntz et al., describe siloxane automotive protectant compositions which contain about 10% to 20% by weight of organopolysiloxane and having comparable or improved gloss performance to comparative examples with 20% to 40% by weight of organopolysiloxane. Typically, these treatment compositions are for use on automotive parts such as dashboards, upholstery, and rubber, or for use in the home on wood, painted surfaces, and leather furniture.

A common problem with silicone-containing treatment compositions is the resulting wet or greasy feel to the surface after application. The wet surface can subsequently attract dirt or dust leaving the surface in need of additional cleaning and treatments. Furthermore, silicone-based treatment often includes ingredients that are not environmentally friendly.

Accordingly, there is a need for a durable vehicle treatment product that doesn't contain silicone, quickly dries to the touch, maintains a long lasting shine, and is formulated with an environmentally benign composition.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure overcomes many of the above-mentioned disadvantages by providing a long-lasting, non-greasy, environmentally safe surface treatment. The composition of the present disclosure imparts an aesthetically pleasing appearance to substrates, particularly vehicle surfaces such as rubber, vinyl, and leather. The shine or gloss of the treated substrate is enhanced and dries quickly to prevent uneven distribution. Further, treatment with the composition of the present disclosure improves durability. Additionally, the present disclosure has a reduced degree of greasiness once dry. A surface treatment composition, as disclosed herein, may include, but is not limited to, at least one surfactant, polish, dispersion, solvent, and emulsion.

The composition of the present disclosure may be used as an interior vehicle surface dressing. The composition may be used on surfaces including leather, vinyl, and rubber. This composition is particularly effective as a tire shine. This composition is similar to silicone products such as Armor All®, however, unexpectedly, it is much longer lasting. The composition is generally effective for at least two years; an unexpected result, given the current state of competitive products. This composition is effective as a paint substitute, generating an effect similar to that of an oil, alkyd gloss, or lustrous plastic resin. The product dries quickly, relative to similar products, and has a wider range of applications.

In accordance with the above objects and those that will be mentioned and will become apparent below, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a surface treatment that provides long lasting shine and increases durability of the surface.

Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the reference to the following description and appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before describing the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particularly exemplified systems or process parameters that may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the invention only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any manner.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although a number of methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the present invention, the preferred materials and methods are described herein.

In the application, effective amounts are generally those amounts listed as the ranges or levels of ingredients in the descriptions, which follow hereto. Unless otherwise stated, amounts listed in percentage (%) are in weight percent based on 100% of the total composition.

Method of Use

The protectant composition of the present invention has a number of applications such as, but not limited to, automotive care applications, home care applications, personal care applications, industrial and institutional applications, pharmaceutical applications, textile applications, and the like. The protectant composition can be used for treating a host of inanimate surfaces including, but not limited to, hard and soft surfaces found throughout the interior and exterior of the household and automotive areas. Household surfaces on which the protectant composition can be used include, but are not limited to, floors, counter tops, furniture, walls and surfaces constructed of glass, plastic, fiberglass, laminates, such as Formica™ and Corian™, tile, porcelain, brick, concrete, limestone, grout, marble, granite as well as metallic surfaces such as aluminum, steel, stainless steel, iron, chrome, copper, brass and the like. Other household surfaces include carpet, upholstery, vinyl, leather, textiles, fabric, floors, walls, ceilings and wall finishes, such as wall paper, painted surfaces and panels. Automotive surfaces on which the protectant composition may be used include tires, rubber, vinyl, fabric, plastic and general elastomer surfaces found on the exterior and interior of a boat, vehicle, automobile, bus, car, plane, motorcycle and the like.

Method of Application

The protectant composition of the present invention may be applied to the target surface by a variety of means, including direct application by means of a spray, pump or aerosol dispensing means, or by other means, including the use of a carrier, or dilution system, as for example, but not limited to a wash, dip or immersion process. Regarding applications by use of a carrier, such suitable carriers include, for example, an impregnated wipe, foam, sponge, cloth, towel, tissue or paper towel or similar releasably absorbent carrier that enables the inventive compositions to be applied by direct physical contact and transferred from the carrier to the target surface, generally during a spreading, padding, rubbing or wiping operation. Combinations of a direct application, followed by a spreading, padding, rubbing or wiping operation performed with the aid of a foam, sponge, cloth, towel, tissue or paper towel, squeegee or similar wiping implement is also suitable for applying the protectant compositions of the present invention.

The protectant composition may be also be sprayed directly onto the target surface and therefore are typically packaged in a spray dispenser. The spray dispenser can be any of the manually activated means for producing a spray of liquid droplets as is known in the art, e.g., trigger-type, pump-type, electrical spray, hydraulic nozzle, sonic nebulizer, high pressure fog nozzle, non-aerosol self-pressurized, and aerosol-type spray means. Automatic activated means can also be used herein. These types of automatic means are similar to manually activated means with the exception that the propellant is replaced by a compressor. The spray dispenser can be an aerosol dispenser. Said aerosol dispenser comprises a container which can be constructed of any of the conventional materials employed in fabricating aerosol containers. A more complete description of commercially available aerosol-spray dispensers appears in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,436,772 and 3,600,325, both of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, the spray dispenser can be a self-pressurized non-aerosol container having a convoluted liner and an elastomeric sleeve. A more complete description of self-pressurized spray dispensers can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,260,110; 5,111,971 and 5,232,126, both of which are fully incorporated herein by reference. The container and the pump mechanism can be constructed of any conventional material employed in fabricating pump-spray dispensers, including, but not limited to: polyethylene; polypropylene; polyethyleneterephthalate; blends of polyethylene, vinyl acetate, and rubber elastomer. Other materials can include stainless steel. A more complete disclosure of commercially available dispensing devices appears in: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,082,223; 4,161,288; 4,274,560; 4,434,917; 4,735,347; 4,819,835; 4,895,279; and 5,303,867; all of which are fully incorporated herein by reference.

One of skill in the art would understand the term “about” is used herein to mean that a concentration of “about” a recited percentage (%) produces the desired degree of effectiveness in the compositions and methods of the present invention. One of skill in the art would further understand that the metes and bounds of “about” with respect to the concentration of any component in an embodiment can be determined by varying the concentration of one or more components (all percentages listed herein are by weight, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art), determining the effectiveness of the mixture for each concentration, and determining the range of concentrations that produce mixtures with the desired degree of effectiveness in accordance with the present disclosure. The term “about” is further used to reflect the possibility that a mixture may contain trace components of other materials that do not alter the effectiveness or safety of the mixture.

It will be understood that emollients, humectants, fragrances, coloring agents, and other components may be added to or used with the compositions and methods provided herein. One of skill in the art can select additional components and determine suitable amounts and compositions such that the final composition functions with the desired degree of effectiveness to remove lacquer as provided herein.

The foregoing descriptions illustrate selected embodiments of the present invention and in light thereof various modifications will be suggested to one of skill in the art, all of which are in the spirit and purview of this invention.

FORMULATION EXAMPLES

A composition of the present disclosure comprises a mixture of about 35-50% water, about 0.03-0.1% Kathon CG/ICP, about 0.5-1.0% Masurf FS-230 (1%) (Proprietary), about 1.5-4.0% Michem Dispersion 91530, about 0.4-0.75% Abex—18S, about 2.5-5.0%, Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether, about 1.0-3.0% Tributoxyethyl Phosphate, about 30-40% Duragreen MF 1 1.5-4.0% Michem Emulsion 93235, and about 1.5-3.0% Michem Emulsion 94340. The composition of the present disclosure is generally applied at a pH of between 6.0 and 8.0.

The CAS number for water is 7732-18-5. The CAS number for Kathon CG/ICP is 10377-60-3/26172-55-4. The CAS number for Tributoxyethyl Phosphate is 78-51-3.

A specific embodiment of the composition of the present disclosure comprises a mixture of 43.74% water, 0.06% Kathon CG/ICP, 0.87% Masurf FS-230 (1%) (Proprietary), 2.09% Michem Dispersion 915300, 0.45% Abex—18S, 3.72%, Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether, 1.36% Tributoxyethyl Phosphate, 33.00% Duragreen MF 1 2.49% Michem Emulsion 93235, 2.18% Michem Emulsion 94340.

Additional embodiments of this composition substitute CAS 11-90-0 with any one of the glycol ethers. Alternatively, CAS 11-90-0 alone may be substituted with a combination of CAS 11-90-0 and any of the glycol ethers, or a combination of any of the glycol ethers. CAS 78-51-3 may be substituted with CAS 78-40-0, CAS 37203-76-2, or CAS 2752-95-6.

Tests of the surface treatment of the present disclosure were performed to assess the performance of the composition against a competitive product already in the marketplace. These tests were performed on wood, leather shoes, vinyl and leather chairs and a car interior. The surface treatment of the present disclosure performed significantly, and surprisingly, better than Liquid Gold® and Armor All®, a competitive product, over short (measured in minutes) and long (measured in months and years) periods in terms of shine strength and shine maintenance. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A surface treatment composition comprising: a surfactant; an emulsion polymer; a plasticizer; and, water.
 2. The surface treatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the surface treatment composition is environmentally benign.
 3. The surface treatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the surfactant is selected from the group consisting of flouroaliphatic surfactants and anionic surfactants, and mixtures thereof.
 4. The surface treatment composition according to claim 3, wherein the percent flouroaliphatic surfactant present in the surface treatment composition is between about 0.5-1.0 wt. % of the surface treatment composition.
 5. The surface treatment composition according to claim 3, wherein the percent anionic surfactant present in the surface treatment composition is between about 0.4-0.75 wt. % of the surface treatment composition.
 6. The surface treatment composition of claim 1, wherein the percent plasticizer present in the surface treatment composition is between about 1.0-3.0% wt. % of the surface treatment composition.
 7. The surface treatment composition of claim 6, wherein the plasticizer is tributoxyethyl phosphate.
 8. The surface treatment composition of claim 1, further comprising a wax dispersion, wherein the percent wax dispersion present in the surface treatment composition is between about 1.5-4.0 wt. % of the surface treatment composition.
 9. The surface treatment composition of claim 8, wherein the wax is Michem Dispersion
 915300. 10. The surface treatment composition of claim 1, wherein the percent emulsion polymer present in the surface treatment composition is between about 30-40 wt. % of the surface treatment composition.
 11. The surface treatment composition of claim 10, wherein the emulsion polymer is Duragreen MF
 1. 12. The surface treatment composition of claim 1, further comprising a nonionic polyethylene emulsion, wherein the percent nonionic polyethylene emulsion present in the surface treatment composition is between about 1.5-4.0 wt. % of the surface treatment composition.
 13. The surface treatment composition of claim 12, wherein the nonionic polyethylene emulsion is Michem Emulsion
 93235. 14. The surface treatment composition of claim 1, further comprising a nonionic polypropylene emulsion, wherein the percent nonionic polypropylene emulsion present in the surface treatment composition is between about 1.5-3.0 wt. % of the surface treatment composition.
 15. The surface treatment composition of claim 14, wherein the nonionic polyethylene emulsion is Michem Emulsion
 94340. 16. The surface treatment composition of claim 1, further comprising a solvent, wherein the percent solvent present in the surface treatment composition is between about 2.5-5.0% wt. % of the surface treatment composition; wherein the solvent is Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether.
 17. The surface treatment composition of claim 1, further comprising a preservative, wherein the percent preservative present in the surface treatment composition is between about 0.03 and 0.1 wt. % of the surface treatment composition; wherein said preservative is Kathon CG/ICP.
 18. The surface treatment composition of claim 1, wherein the pH is about 6.0-8.0; wherein the percent water in the surface treatment composition is between about 35-50 wt. % of the surface treatment composition.
 19. A surface treatment composition comprising: 0.5-1.0 wt. % of a flouroaliphatic surfactant; 0.4-0.75 wt. % of an anionic surfactant; 30-40 wt. % of an emulsion polymer; 1.0-3.0 wt. % of a plasticizer; 0.03-0.1 wt. % of a preservative; 1.5-4.0 wt. % of a wax dispersion; 2.5-5.0 wt. % of a solvent; 1.5-4.0 wt. % of a nonionic polyethylene emulsion; 1.5-3.0 wt. % of a nonionic polypropylene emulsion; 35-50 wt. % of water; wherein the surface treatment composition is at a pH of about 6.0-8.0; and, wherein the surface treatment composition is environmentally benign.
 20. A surface treatment composition comprising: about 43.74 wt. % water; about 0.06 wt. % Kathon CG/ICP; about 0.87 wt. % Masurf FS-230 (1%); about 2.09 wt. % Michem Dispersion 915300; about 0.45 wt. % Abex—18S; about 3.72 wt. % Diethylene Glycol Ethyl Ether; about 1.36 wt. % Tributoxyethyl Phosphate; about 33.00 wt. % Duragreen MF 1; about 2.49 wt. % Michem Emulsion 93235; and, about 2.18 wt. % Michem Emulsion
 94340. 